Software is launched to help fire departments anticipate and plan resources for future response.

The new Risk Modeller can be used to create multiple ‘risk maps’ based on a number of factors such as incident data, population profile and transportation links.

The risk maps generated by the Risk Modeller provide a clear visual representation of a fire and rescue department’s so-called aggregate risk, or likelihood of a type of incident happening in a particular area. It can take into account factors such as the types of incidents that have historically occurred there; the demographic profile of the population; and the response times from local fire stations. Risk factors can be given a weighting by a fire service to match their operational priorities.

A road-related risk map is represented by snapping items to network links in a topological network. It produces a map based on how many incidents are related to a link.

The software could also be used to support community engagement as well as help fire services visualise changes to risk over time.

The latest Risk Modeller builds on Cadcorp’s SIS Map Modeller GIS software and Workload Modeller, which are used by a number of UK brigades for the production of integrated risk management plans. Its development followed a consultation exercise that highlighted the requirement for an additional application for locating, assessing and analysing risk coverage.

Life-risk analysis is based on item attributes that define the number of fatalities and/or the number of casualties and/or the number of rescues at the item’s location.